The present invention relates to a coin discriminator used in an automatic vending machine or the like and, more particularly, to a coin discriminator which can discriminate a plurality of different types of coins without error.
Various types of coin discriminators have been developed to discriminate good coins from bad coins as well as types of coins in accordance with diameter, thickness, and material. Many conventional coin discriminators use cradles to discriminate coin diameter. In discriminating coins by the use of discriminators of this kind, a small coin can pass through a space between two ends of the cradle and is guided to one coin passage. However, a large coin cannot pass between the two ends of the cradle. The cradle is then pivoted to guide the large coin to the other coin passage. In conventional coin discriminators, small coins are sometimes mistakenly stopped by the cradle. The cradle is then pivoted, and the small coin is erroneously guided to an incorrect coin passage.
Since water, dust, oil and the like can build up in a coin passage and impair smooth coin flow, the coin passage must be periodically cleaned. For this reason, the gate constituting the coin passage can be freely opened/closed, as is known to those skilled in the art. According to another known gate assembly, when a customer turns a return lever in an automatic vending machine or the like, the gate is opened to dispense coins caught between the gate and a main plate.